Exercise bell device and methods of use thereof

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides exercise devices containing a body and a gripping means that maintain a constant mathematical ratio with respect to each other and in compliance with the golden Phi ratio. The body comprises a flat plate containing a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end comprises a diametrically opposing proximal right side and proximal left side, wherein the proximal end and the distal end define a longitudinal axis. The gripping means comprises two shafts and a handle that is placed horizontally between the two shafts and connects the upper portion of the shafts.

I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to exercise devices and methods of use thereof. In particular, the invention relates to exercise bell devices.

II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The general population is more knowledgeable today about their fitness and its importance in achieving a superior quality of life than ever before, and the trend is growing. The growing interest in the field of exercise has led to consumers scrambling for new and easy to use machines or devices. As a result, thousands of health conscious consumers are now desperately seeking devices and new exercise programs in order to maintain fit and boost their energy.

A wide variety of weight training and exercise equipments are known, including the fixed or variable weight type of exercise machines, cast dumbbells, and the free weight/bar combination. Exercise machines are easy to use when moving from one exercise to another or when changing weights. These machines, however, are relatively expensive and are not readily useable in the home.

Many body builders or other exercise enthusiasts prefer to use free weights, either alone or to complement a work-out on an exercise machine. Solid dumbbells are easy to use and provide ease in switching from one weight to another. Free weight plates, mounted on a longer barbell or shorter dumbbell bar, overcome many of the problems associated with solid dumbbells. With a single, elongated bar, a single pair of shorter dumbbell bars, and a variety of weights, barbells or dumbbells of any desired weight can be assembled and a change from one weight to another can be easily effected.

Athletes used kettle bells in the late 1800's as a mode of exercise. The kettle bell forced the athlete to grasp an unbalanced weight resembling a bowling ball with a handle. Considerable skill, balance and strength were required to lift a kettle bell, the heaviest of which was in the 200-300 pound range. Early balanced iron dumbbells became available after the turn of the century, with adjustable dumbbells being introduced just before World War II.

Exercising with weight equipment has become a common practice among many people. While gymnasiums and exercise or health clubs offer many types of exercise equipment to use, weight lifting devices such as dumbbells and barbells are still widely used and popular types of exercise equipment. This is especially true within the home where space is more limited. Convenient and easy storage can be very important. In addition, with traveling, it would be convenient to have a dumbbell device which would fold for easier storage and transporting.

Today, dumbbells are generally recognized as the most efficient of strength training devices. They allow extreme flexibility in patterns of movement and allow the athlete to perform a real world training regimen unlike, for example, bungee cord exercises. Therapists like to utilize dumbbells because they reflect everyday movements and their flexibility allows the patient to train around joint and muscle trauma. Athletes that train with dumbbells enjoy productive gains not available with other training modalities because they require balance and involve synergistic muscle groups to contract during the lift. The necessity to balance the dumbbells and coordinate movement of each hand stress the muscular and nervous system unlike any machine exercise. With machines, a portion of the athlete's musculature can actually relax due to the absence of fully balanced coordination, i.e. one side can push harder than the other.

There are two basic forms of dumbbells: fixed or “pro-style”, and adjustable dumbbells. Fixed dumbbells are individually compact, but are typically sold in sets which must be stored on a rack that is bulky and cumbersome. Adjustable dumbbells have historically incorporated plates and locking collars secured to the ends of an extended handle. Adjustable dumbbells are space and cost efficient exercise equipments. However, they are not without some drawbacks. One drawback is the time it takes to change and adjust both dumbbells. Also, removing and replacing the locking collars and plates is time consuming, and can be a potential safety hazard if the collars are not securely tightened. Additionally, it is difficult to perform a “kickup” due to the protruding end of the handle. Some exercises such as bench presses, inclines and shoulder work typically begin and end with the dumbbells resting on the knees of the athlete. However, this can be unwise and painful if the ends of the dumbbells are not relatively flat.

Various types of dumbbell and barbell equipment, other than the common bar and plate combination, have been described before offering features that would assist in storage and transporting through easily removable weights, collapsible weight systems, hollow weights or weight chambers, folding bars, mechanisms for retaining weights on the bar, special locking devices, releasing locking devices, etc. For examples, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,199,140; 4,312,506; 4,531,728; 4,529,197; 4,566,690; 4,579,337; and 4,585,367. Various adjustable dumbbells have been developed. A representative example of the prior art in this regard includes, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,948,123; 4,556,690; 4,913,422; 4,900,016; 4,880,229; 4,743,017; and 4,529,198. Each of these references, however, addresses only certain aspects of an adjustable dumbbell, such as releaseability, interlocking of the weights, etc.

The desirability of portable exercise equipment such as “travel dumbbells” has long been recognized and several examples are found in the prior art of exercise apparatus which may be adjusted by filling weight reservoirs with fluid to provide variable resistance to lifting. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,695,051; 4,997,184; 5,445,587; and. 5,857,946. U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,690 discloses a dumbbell and barbell weight training device which can hold the changeable weights in place, yet permit the weights to be quickly and easily changed.

There are several problems with the use of free weight/bar combinations of the prior art. The weights are typically held on the bar by a securing means, typically by a removable collar. The collar, particularly when used on a dumbbell bar, often cannot withstand the stress from the weight. In order to change weights, the collar is released and removed from the bar, the weight is removed from the bar, a new weight is positioned on the bar, and the collar is positioned on the bar against the weight and secured in place. This is a time-consuming process which often interferes with the smooth flow of a weight training session.

There is still a need for weights and dumbbells of improved construction which are not only compact in size, but also comfortable to use, without altering the natural positioning of the body members in contact with the device or resulting in an unbalanced weight distribution on the body of the user. The invention described herein addresses these and other needs by providing novel exercise devices and methods of exercising using these devices.

III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention as described herein provides exercise devices comprising a body and a gripping means. The body contains a flat plate containing a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of the body comprises a diametrically opposing proximal right side and proximal left side, wherein the proximal end and the distal end define a longitudinal axis. The gripping means comprises two shafts and a handle, the two shafts each comprise an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion of the shafts is connected to the proximal right side and the proximal left side of the body, respectively. The handle is placed horizontally between the two shafts and connects the upper portion of the shafts, wherein positioning of two shafts and the handle creates a hollow space between the body and the gripping means that accommodates gripping of the device by a body member of a user, and wherein the body and gripping means have dimensions that maintain a constant mathematical ratio with respect to each other and in compliance with the golden Phi ratio.

The device of the invention can be gripped by the user's arm, foot, neck, shoulder, waist, ankles, legs, or other members of the body of a user, so long as the different compartments of the device namely the body and the gripping means maintain the constant golden Phi mathematical ratio with respect to each other.

The body of the exercise device of the invention is made of a pliable material that wraps around the users one or more body members (e.g., wrist, ankle, neck) to allow the weight to distribute more evenly around the body member.

In another embodiment, the exercise device of the invention has geometrical configurations comprising rectangular, square, curved, round, triangular, wedged shape, concave, convex, contoured, trapezoid, obtuse, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the body of the device is in a convex shape.

In yet another embodiment, the two shafts of the device are an integral part of the body of the device, or are separately attached to the body of the device.

In another embodiment, the two shafts and the handle of the device are integrally connected to form a single U shape piece.

In yet another embodiment, the shafts are pivotally connected to the body of the device and rotate with respect to the body of the device.

In one embodiment, the gripping means and the body are integrally connected to form a single piece.

The body comprises one, two or more flat plates that are integrally connected or joined together. In one embodiment, the body comprises an upper flat plate and a lower flat plate and a hollow space in between the upper flat plate and the lower flat plate. The flat plates are the same or different sizes or geometrical configurations.

In one embodiment, the hollow space is filled with a filler material comprising compressed air, liquid, solid materials, or a combination thereof. The liquid comprises water or gel.

In one aspect, the invention provides a method of exercise comprising the use of the exercise device of the invention. The exercises performed with the device comprise, yoga, pilate, aerobics, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, weight training, cardiovascular training, or a combination thereof.

In one embodiment, the exercise is performed by children, elderly, people with disabilities, or by normal adults.

IV. BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 A schematic demonstrating one embodiment of the exercise device of the invention. The device can be placed on the forearm of a user. The device is constructed using the design concept of wrapping the mass around the forearm to allow the wrist a neutral position and to allow the weight to distribute more evenly around the wrist of a user.

FIG. 2 A schematic demonstrating that the dimension from the lowest point of a clasped adult hand (between the thumb and forefinger) to the pivot point of the wrist has an average value close to 3.1415″, and the width of an adult wrist had an average dimension close to 1.6180. The figure shows that a “Golden Ellipse” with a minor axis Inner Dimension of 3.1415″ and a cross section diameter of 1.31415″ works well for the device design.

FIG. 3 A bargraph demonstrating the effects of two different exercise modalities on the cholesterol and lipid scores of two females. The lipid scores were carried out on triglycerides, HDL and LDL. The bars from left to right represent a) pre-Verve bell, b) post-Verve bell, c) pre-traditional exercise, and d) post-traditional exercise.

FIG. 4 A bargraph demonstrating the effects of exercise with the Verve Bell of the invention on several indicators, namely weight, aerobic capacity, girth and body fat composition of seven males. The bar on the right indicates values prior to the exercise and the bar on the left indicates the values after the exercise for each of the indicators listed above.

IV. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention as described herein provides a new hand held exercise device that forms the shape of the user's wrist and keeps it in a neutral position during exercise. The device of the invention has a novel design and cross training ability that allows the weight distribution more evenly around the wrist. This was accomplished with ample use of the numbers Pi (3.1415) and Phi (1.6180), both taken to four significant digits, through out the design.

The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawings are not to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts an artistic rendition of the device according to one of the embodiment of the present invention. This device has a body 200 that comprises a flat plate 210 having a proximal end 211 and a distal end 212. The device also contain gripping means 220 comprising two shafts 221 and 222 and a handle 230. The two shafts each comprises an upper portion 223 and a lower portion 224, the lower portion of the shafts are connected to the proximal right side and the proximal left side of the body, respectively. The handle 230 is placed horizontally between the two shafts and connects the upper portion of the shafts. The positioning of the two shafts and the handle creates a hollow space 240 between the gripping means and the body that accommodates the hand of a user to grip the device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic showing typical dimensions of a human hand and wrist and the mathematical ratio of such dimensions that are in compliance with the golden Phi ratio. FIGS. 3 and 4 represent bargraphs demonstrating the result of using the device of the invention on several health and biological indicators and comparative studies with prior art exercise devices and regimens.

The exercise devices of the invention were constructed by virtue of the many references to the golden ratio Phi. This ratio has also been expressed in a variety of different forms. In one embodiment, there were two derivations that were used in the construction of the device. The first derivation was a one-dimensional representation that was used to determine the height of different sections of the device. The second derivation was a two dimensional geometric representation that was used to determine the length and width of certain sections of the device as well as determining angles of the device profile. An initial study determined that the average dimensions from the lowest point of a clasped adult hand (between the thumb and forefinger) to the pivot point of the wrist has an average dimension close to 3.1415″. Further study found the width of an adult wrist had an average dimension close to 1.6180″.

In one embodiment, the handle of the device is in a shape of a “Golden Ellipse” with a minor axis Inner Dimension of 3.1415″ and a cross section diameter of 1.31415″. The Golden Ellipse is such that the Major and Minor axis are in the golden ratio. For example, the Major axis is 5.0829″ and a Minor axis of 3.1415″, thus 5.0829″/3.1415″=1.6180″ which is Phi. The mass of the weight was to remain as close as possible to the wrist pivot point to minimize the lever effect of the weight. The device is flared out at an angle of 16.18 degrees during exercise with a unique cross section developed specifically for each weight of the device. This allows achievement of the desired weight distribution without deviating from specific uses of Pi and Phi.

The earlier reports have shown that the use of prior art kettle bells or similar weight devices has initiated shoulder and wrist discomfort and pain in as much as 20% of the users. Such negative side effects have not been observed with the devices of the invention because of their novel design and engineering that have used dimensions throughout the device in compliance with the golden Phi ratio or golden mean. The golden mean often governs the proportion of our world and it can be found even in the most seemingly proportion-less living forms. Clear examples of golden mean geometry in nature includes, for example, all types of crystals, natural and cultured, the hexagonal geometry of snowflakes, creatures exhibiting logarithmic spiral patterns, e.g. snails and various shell fish, birds and flying insects, exhibiting clear golden mean proportions in bodies & wings, the way in which lightning forms branches, the geometric molecular and atomic patterns that all solid metals exhibit, the angles at which leaves sprout from stems, the shape of pine trees and standard chicken eggs, the navel divides the human body into a golden ratio, as the neck covers the upper half and knee the lower half. Another, less obvious, example of this special ratio can be found in Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)—the foundation and guiding mechanism of all living biological organisms.

The exercise devices of the invention may take a variety of shapes that may be customized according to the user's instructions so long as the overall Phi ratio among different compartments of the body and gripping means is maintained. These shapes include cylindrical,. rectangular, square, curved, round, triangular, wedged shape, concave, contoured, flat bevel surface, dome, conical, acute (slightly pointed), acuminate (sharply pointed) truncate (squared or abruptly cut off), or obtuse (rounded), cuneate (wedge-shaped), cordate (heart-shaped), truncate, or oblique (asymmetrical, unequally sided), among others.

The exercise devices of the invention also include devices with different outside margins. For example, the margins of the exercise devices are entire (a margin that is smooth without teeth or lobes), undulate (a margin that is wavy), serrate (a margin that has pointed teeth).

A wide variety of synthetic and/or natural materials are used in the construction of the device of the invention. These materials are opaque, light reflective material, translucent material, transparent material, or a combination thereof. The color in the light reflective colored natural and/or synthetic material includes any color in the spectrum, including blue, turquoise, green, gray, white, gray, orange, red, yellow, purple, black, or a combination thereof, among others.

The materials encompassed within the scope of the invention include, by way of example and not limitation, rubber, aluminum, tin, silica, fiberglass, paper, cardboard, terracotta, clay, ceramic, plastic, or a combination thereof. The examples of plastic includes, by way of example and not limitation, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), PEN homopolymer, raw material for PEN, resin (naphthalate dicarboxylate), polyethylene terephthalate, PET copolymer (Polyethylene Terephthalate), PVDF (Polyvinylidene Fluoride Polyphenylene Sulfide), PET-P, Ertalyte® Lexon, polycarbonate, Polyethylene Polypropylene (PP), Polyesters, Styrenic Polymers, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Polyacrylonitrile (PAN), acrylic plastic (polymethyl methacrylate), PERSPEX, polyvinyl acetate, Nylon (Polyamide), Polyurethane, thermoplastic, Polyolefin, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), Polyetherimide, Polyamide-Imide, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate, Fluorpolymer Acetal, Cellulose Acetate, Polyetheretherketone, Polypropylene, Polystyrene, Polyurea, Ultem® Pei, Fluorosint®, Ketron®, Torlon®, Celazole®, Acetron®, Nylatron®, MC, Ertalyte®, Fluorosint®, Techtron®, Torlon® & Semitron®, Acetal, Celcon®, Delrin®, Kynar®, Lexan®, Makrolon®, Meldin® Nylon®, Peek, Radel®, Rulon®, Ryton®, Solef®, Teflon®, Tivar®, Uhmw®, Ulterm®, Vespel®, PVC, CPVC, Kynarg®, Polypropylene, Teflon®, Halar®, Coroplast™.

The polymers useful in the device of the invention include both addition and condensation polymers. Typically, useful polymeric materials are homo- or copolymers, where the copolymers may be polymerized from 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or more different or the same monomeric units, such as homo- and copolymers of polystyrenes, polyethers block amides, polyurethanes, polyesters, polyolefins, caprylactam based-polyurethanes, among others. The polymeric material includes, by way of example and not limitation, a hard thermoplastic material such as Nylon 6 or a high-density polyethylene, a soft thermoplastic material, such as ethylene vinyl acetate co-polymer, polyethylene or poly-vinyl chloride, a natural or synthetic rubber.

Elastomeric polymers or components useful in the device of the invention include, for example, styrenic-based elastomeric copolymers. Examples of styrenic based elastomeric copolymers include Styrene-Ethylene-Propylene-Styrene), available from M. A. Hanna; and SEP/EBS and SEPS (Styrene-Propylene-Butylene-Styrene), available from Kuraray Co. Specific non-styrenic polymers include, for example, polyether block amides, polyurethane-based materials (thermoplastic urethanes (TPUs)), such as, for example, Tecoflex and Tecothane, both available from Thermedics Inc., PELLETHANE, available from Dow Chemical, and ELASTOLLAN, available from BASF, polyester-based thermoplastic elastomers, such as HYTREL available from DuPont; polyolefin-based thermoplastic elastomers, such as SARLINK.RTM available from SANTOPRENE.RTM available from AES Corp, caprylactam-based polyurethanes, a blended material of TPU/SEPS commercially available from M. A. Hanna, among others.

The unique design of the exercise devices of invention suggest to the customers freshness, convenience, advance and innovativeness as well as being familiar and comfortable to use. Experiments with the prior art exercise devices, such as for example, kettle bell have demonstrated that the wrist is pulled into 10 degrees of extension during exercise, creating stress on the tendons of the wrist flexors. Such wrist posture has been found to be a major cause or contributor of carpal tunnel syndrome and wrist tendonitis. In contrast, the exercise devices of the present invention do not pull the wrist of the user because of their unique design that facilitates proportional weight distribution on the body member of a user. In one embodiment, a sound is generated with accelerated movement of the device to notify the user of the repetition and use of the device. The exercise device of the invention can be used by children, elderly and people with disabilities with no harmful stress on muscles and bones of the users.

The exercise device of the invention increases several biological and health indexes including, for example, aerobic capacity, recovery of heart rate, increase in muscle mass, increase in physical strength, increase in bone density, improvement in cardiovascular efficiency, reduction in blood lipids and cholesterol, reduction in body weight, and improvement in flexibility. The aforementioned benefits can be achieved with exercises performed for the duration of about 20 minutes per day or less.

In one embodiment, the exercise device of the invention contains a filler material that may be disposable or permanently placed in between the two flat plates of the device. These materials can be added to a desired weight according to specifications provided. After use, the materials may be discharged and the empty device is then packed in a bag or a suitcase for easy transportation The filler material include solid or liquid materials or air, including water, sand, synthetic beads, gel, or a combination thereof among others.

In another embodiment, the exercise device of the invention contains a gel component as the filler material in the space between the two flat plates. The gel imparts softness and, therefore, makes the device more comfortable to use and increases weight control. Because of the buoyant characteristic of water or gel, an individual using the device can easily control the weight distribution on his body members (e.g., wrist, forearm, ankle, or shoulders) by turning and twisting the device in certain direction in order to control the weight pressure on the body.

The gel component includes a variety of materials, including for example, a styrenic based elastomeric polymer, oil plasticizer such as a mineral oil, silicone oil, naphthenic oil, parafinic oil and the like. Styrenic based polymers will typically be copolymers of styrene and one or more monomers, usually olefinic monomers, where illustrative olefinic monomers include ethylene, propylene, butylene, and the like, among others.

Alternate embodiments of the invention are shown in the following illustrations, which are not to be construed in any way as imposing limitations upon the scope thereof. On the contrary, it is to be clearly understood that resort may be had to various other embodiments, modifications, and equivalents thereof which, after reading the description herein, may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention and/or the scope of the appended claims.

EXAMPLES Example 1

Effects of Two Different Exercise Modalities on the Cholesterol and Lipid Scores

Two females undertook at 3 month exercise program. One female's exercise program consisted of 20 minutes of interval training and 20 minutes of resistance training two times per week. The other female conducted 20 minutes of Verve Bell training two times per week. The results indicated a mark improvement in the Verve Bell exercise program. The lipid scores were carried out on triglycerides, HDL and LDL. The Verve female had a 13% increase in HDL levels, while the traditional program only increased it by 1%. LDL levels in the Verve female were reduced by 12.82% while the traditional program had 0% change. The results of this experiment are demonstrated in FIG. 3.

Example 2

Effects of Exercise With Verve Bell Several Biological Indicators

Seven males between ages of 40 to 70 underwent training for a 2 to 6 month period with the Verve Bells. Several biological indicators such as weight, aerobic capacity, girth and body fat were monitored during this period. The results showed a 15.71% drop in body weight (an average loss of 33 lbs). This also coincided with a 36.25% decrease in body fat composition and a decrease of 19.23% in abdominal girth size (with an average of 19.17 cm reduction). Males also showed a 24.42% decrease in resting heart rate and along with a recovery heart rate increased by 52.51%. An increase of 12.87% in aerobic capacity was also measured. The results of this experiment are demonstrated in FIG. 4.

All references discussed herein are incorporated by reference. One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and obtain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention. 

1. An exercise device comprising a body and a gripping means, the body comprises a flat plate containing a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end comprises a diametrically opposing proximal right side and proximal left side, wherein the proximal end and the distal end define a longitudinal axis, the gripping means comprises two shafts and a handle, the two shafts each comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion of the shafts are connected to the proximal right side and the proximal left side of the body, respectively, the handle is placed horizontally between the two shafts and connects the upper portion of the shafts, wherein positioning of the two shafts and the handle creates a hollow space between the body and the gripping means that accommodates gripping of the device by a body member of a user, and wherein the body and the gripping means have dimensions that maintain a constant mathematical ratio with respect to each other and in compliance with the golden Phi ratio.
 2. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the body is made of a pliable material that wraps around the body member of a user to allow the weight to distribute more evenly around the body.
 3. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the device has geometrical configurations comprising rectangular, square, curved, round, triangular, wedged shape, concave, convex, contoured, obtuse, or a combination thereof.
 4. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the two shafts are an integral part of the body.
 5. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the two shafts are separately attached to the body.
 6. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the two shafts and the handle are integrally connected to form a single U shape piece.
 7. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the gripping means and the body are integrally connected.
 8. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the flat plate comprises an upper flat plate and a lower flat plate.
 9. The exercise device of claim 8, wherein an open space is created between the upper flat plate and the lower flat plate.
 10. The exercise device of claim 9, wherein the open space is filled with a filler material.
 11. The exercise device of claim 10, wherein the filler material comprises compressed air, liquid, solid materials, or a combination thereof.
 12. The exercise device of claim 11, wherein the liquid comprises water, gel, or a combination thereof.
 13. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the two shafts are pivotally connected to the body and rotate with respect to the body.
 14. The exercise device of claim 8, wherein the upper flat plate and the lower flat plate are different in size.
 15. The exercise device of claim 8, wherein the upper flat plate and the lower flat plate are the same size.
 16. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the upper flat plate is in a convex shape.
 17. The exercise device of claim 2, wherein the body members comprise wrist, neck, shoulders, arm, waist, ankles, leg, or a combination thereof.
 18. A method of exercise comprising the use of the exercise devise of claim
 1. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the exercise comprises yoga, pilate, aerobics, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, weight training, cardiovascular training, or a combination thereof.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the exercise is performed by children, elderly, people with disabilities, or normal adults. 